| Phoenix Office of Innovation Partners with Venture Café to Host Innovation Challenge | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/innovation/2704 | Innovation | | 3/23/2023 10:10:00 PM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2704/Skyline with Suguaro (1).jpg | | Phoenix Office of Innovation Partners with Venture Café to Host Innovation Challenge | <div class="ExternalClass77E3D3B931BA41139D1A449A66B9488C"><html>Students and residents can now apply to participate in a hackathon and pitch competition hosted by the <a href="https://venturecafephoenix.org/" target="_blank">Venture Café Phoenix</a> and the City of Phoenix’s Office of Innovation. Competitors will have an opportunity to develop innovative solutions that will increase access to chilled drinking water in public spaces – and compete for cash prizes.<br><br><div>“To solve an important challenge, Phoenix is tapping into one of our greatest resources— our creative and enterprising residents,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Expanding public access to drinking water, especially in areas of high pedestrian and public transit, is essential to keeping our residents comfortable and safe. I’m excited to see the ideas that come from the City of Phoenix’s first Innovation Challenge.”<br></div><div><br></div><div>Groups of five to six people will work together to develop an innovative concept to present to a panel of judges for a chance to win up to $600 per person. <br></div><div><br></div><div>“Access to water in a desert city with over 1.5 million residents is essential," said Vice Mayor Ansari. "However, given the challenges with existing infrastructure and our rapidly rising population, water access is not always guaranteed for our residents, particularly those who are homeless. I'm excited to see the solutions generated by those competing in the City of Phoenix's first Innovation Challenge."</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Here are some details for contestants to consider and discuss:</strong></div><div>• New technologies to provide drinking water in public spaces that could make a system more accessible.</div><div>• Non-tech ideas to provide access to drinking water without using plastic water bottles.</div><div>• Cooling and shading efforts to keep the systems cool so the water stays cool in extreme heat.</div><div>• Education and communication strategies around the systems to build interest and encourage people to use the bottle filling stations.</div><div>• Innovative ideas for maintenance and preventing vandalism, such as tech solutions or wrap-around support from the community or businesses.</div><div>• Adding a public art component to support the project and encourage community engagement and preservation of the system.</div><div>• Sustainable ways to alert if a system isn't functioning properly and potentially losing water, as well as providing alternative options for those who forget their water bottle and would like to use a water filling station.</div><div><br></div><div>Contestants will participate in the hackathon on April 6 from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and attendees can watch the pitch competition from 5:30-7 p.m. at 850 PBC located at 850 N. Fifth St. Apply to participate in the hackathon or register to watch the pitch competition <a href="https://venturecafephoenix.org/event/thursday-gathering-innovation-night-the-city-of-phoenix/" target="_blank">here</a>. Lunch and snacks will be provided. <br></div><div><br></div><div><div>If you are a person with a disability or limited English proficiency and require an accommodation to participate, please email melissa@venturecafephoenix.org or <div>sarah@venturecafephoenix.org <span style="background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-family:Calibri;font-size:13.3333px;">at least five business days in advance of the event. We will do our best to fulfill requests received with less than five business days’ notice.</span></div></div><br></div><div>About the Office of Innovation:<br></div><div>The City Manager’s Office of Innovation partners with residents, City departments, and local and national organizations to advance solutions to some of our City’s most pressing challenges, championing the strategic use of data to deliver effective, efficient and equitable impacts for the City and its diverse communities. innovate@phoenix.gov <br></div><div><br></div><div>About Venture Café:<br></div><div>Venture Café Phoenix partners with companies and organizations that are evolving business, education, technology, social justice, science and the arts within Phoenix and beyond. Along with pitch nights, thought provoking content and one-on-one sessions, the Thursday Gathering event provides participants with hundreds of connection and action opportunities each week. When you take part in a Venture Café event, you can meet hundreds of creative, resourceful people who are just as invested in improving life in Phoenix as you are.</div></html></div> | https://www.phoenix.gov/innovation | News | innovation |
| Phoenix Sky Harbor Becomes First Airport in the World to Offer Waymo Rider-Only Autonomous Vehicle Service | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/innovation/2692 | Innovation | | 12/16/2022 7:00:00 AM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2692/VIPS and Waymo Car.jfif | | Phoenix Sky Harbor Becomes First Airport in the World to Offer Waymo Rider-Only Autonomous Vehicle Service | <div class="ExternalClass130AFA561D4947668EB675A3516C03EC"><html>Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, America's Friendliest Airport®, has set another milestone today with Waymo launching fully autonomous vehicle service to the general public at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego arrived today at the 44th Street and Washington PHX Sky Train® Station via a Waymo vehicle to launch the new service. This set a global milestone as Phoenix Sky Harbor became the first airport in the world to offer travelers the ability to take a Waymo autonomous vehicle as a means of transportation to and from the airport.<br><br>“Phoenix is leading the future of mobility and modernizing how the world will experience travel," said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “The exciting technology offers our customers an additional option for traveling to the airport in a clean, sustainable, and technologically advanced mode of transportation. The future has arrived in Phoenix!"<br><br>Waymo also announced today it is more than doubling the Waymo One service area in Downtown Phoenix. The expansion connects the airport service to a large swath of the downtown area, offering safe and convenient mobility options to Phoenicians and travelers alike.<br><br> In early November, Waymo began offering its Trusted Tester participants the opportunity to take autonomous rides to and from downtown Phoenix and the Airport with an autonomous specialist in the vehicle. Now, Waymo has removed the autonomous specialist from the vehicle and anyone can hail a Waymo to ride between the airport and downtown Phoenix.<br><br>Rides are available 24 hours, seven days a week in Waymo's fully electric Jaguar I-PACE equipped with the fifth generation Waymo Driver. Pickups and drop-offs occur at the 44 th Street PHX Sky Train® Station where travelers can hop on the free PHX Sky Train® direct to the terminals. Trains arrive and depart every few minutes.<br><br>This new service comes two years after Waymo opened its fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service, Waymo One, to the public in the East Valley of Phoenix; and builds on the company's strong partnership with the City of Phoenix.<br><br><br><br><br></html></div> | https://www.phoenix.gov/innovation | News | innovation |
| Phoenix Named an All-America City 2022 | https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/innovation/2690 | Innovation | | 7/22/2022 7:00:00 AM | https://www.phoenix.gov/newssite/Lists/NewsArticle/Attachments/2690/03.24.21 Tablet distibution at Aeroterra.jfif | | Phoenix Named an All-America City 2022 | <div class="ExternalClass21BBA08613EB4AEFBDC9574519220204"><html>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">The National Civic League and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading named the City of Phoenix as a winner of the 2022 All-America City Award (AAC). This year's theme was, “Housing as a Platform to Promote Early School Success and Equitable Learning Recovery."</span>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">The City's commitment to improving digital equity and collaborating with Phoenix residents in underinvested areas and public housing communities landed the City a winning spot. Phoenix was one of 20 finalist cities across the nation and is one of 10 communities to be recognized this year.</span>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">“COVID-19 caused a profound shift in traditional learning. As students transitioned to an online learning environment, we knew too many families were missing the basic tools needed to navigate this new way of learning," said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “City staff put forth a tremendous effort to close this digital divide, especially for our most vulnerable kids. I'm proud of what we've accomplished, and equally proud the City of Phoenix has been honored with the All-America City Award for the sixth time."</span>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">During the pandemic, the City mobilized community partnerships to distribute more than 12,000 laptops to 15 school districts in underserved areas within public housing communities. Additionally, the City provided 1,600 tablets and Wi-Fi connectivity to families and seniors for at-home learning, telemedicine and more.</span>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">Providing digital devices was one of many steps the City took to support its residents. As the literacy rate for Phoenix students passing the third grade reading assessment declined to 25%, Phoenix co-created literacy and tutoring programs with students, parents and educators to reverse the trend.</span>
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<span style="font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">“As someone who grew up in public housing during my childhood, I understand the impact these programs have on our residents. It takes a village to aid in the success of our youth and I am proud to lead a city that takes initiative to make a positive impact on its residents," said Phoenix City Manager Jeff Barton. “Congratulations, Phoenix, on a well-deserved win!"</span>
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<div dir="ltr" style="box-sizing:border-box;font-family:hind, "open sans", sans-serif;font-size:16px;">The City of Phoenix is one of the most honored cities in the Country, winning the All-America City designation six times: 1950, 1958, 1980, 1989, 2009 and 2022.<div style="box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center;"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;background-color:window;color:windowtext;font-size:10pt;">###</span><br style="box-sizing:border-box;"></div><br></div>
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<span style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:700;">About the National Civic League</span>
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<p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:0.875em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;font-size:1em !important;">The National Civic League advances inclusive civic engagement through our community assistance programs, including tools, trainings and facilitation services, our award and recognition programs, and nationally recognized research and publications. We promote efforts that seek to listen to, and to learn from residents in ongoing conversations and leverage those insights to help reshape communities so they will thrive.</p>
<p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:0.875em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;font-size:1em !important;">The All-America City Award is made possible through the support of Southwest Airlines, the official airline sponsor, The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, CGI Digital, MissionSquare Retirement, HealthONE, and Womble Bond Dickinson.</p>
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(154, 0, 73);background:transparent;font-family:hind, sans-serif;transition:all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s;font-weight:700;">Click here to learn more about the National Civic League's All-America City Awards.</a>
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<span style="box-sizing:border-box;font-weight:700;">About the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading</span>
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<p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:0.875em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;font-size:1em !important;">The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading seeks to disrupt generational poverty and ensure more hopeful futures for children of economically challenged, fragile and otherwise marginalized communities. We support community-driven initiatives to improve the likelihood that these children will grasp the first rung of the success sequence ladder – graduation from high school. Since its launch in 2012, the GLR Communities Network has grown to include more than 350 communities, representing 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two Canadian provinces — sponsored by 5,200+ local organizations, institutions and agencies and supported by 500+ state and local funders, including 200+ United Ways.</p>
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<a target="_blank" href="https://gradelevelreading.net/" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(154, 0, 73);background:transparent;font-family:hind, sans-serif;transition:all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s;font-weight:700;">Learn more about the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading</a><br>
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